Last week I took my son (10) and my nephew (8) along to see The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl at Assembly Roxy, part of the Made in Scotland showcase. I’ll be honest – I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from an aerial circus show about a boy who wants to fly and a girl who wants to be a monster. But what we saw absolutely blew us away.
From the very start, when the two performers appeared high on top of their Chinese poles, the boys were hooked. There were proper gasp-out-loud moments as the performers slid, spun, and seemed to fall from the sky – and plenty of giggles too as the new friends teased and tested each other. My nephew was especially impressed with their sheer strength (“How do they hold themselves up there for so long?!”), while my son loved the more mischievous parts, especially when Tentacle Girl started looking like she might eat the audience!
The show tells the story of two outsiders who don’t quite fit in. At first they seem to have nothing in common – one fast, one slow; one drawn to the rooftops, the other to the sea. But slowly, through jaw-dropping circus skills and some lovely funny moments, they discover the joy of friendship and the freedom of being themselves.
What really stood out for me was how visually stunning it all was. The staging is simple – fabric sails, clever lighting, and those huge poles – but it shifts between worlds beautifully, from city rooftops to shadowy ocean depths. The costumes evolve with the characters too: feathers unfurl for Feather Boy, while Tentacle Girl transforms with seaweed-like tentacles. It’s part fairytale, part dream, part daredevil circus – and all of it feels magical.
As a parent, I also appreciated that this is a story about friendship, not romance. It shows kids that you can be completely different from someone and still form a bond. It’s also reassuringly safe for younger viewers, even in the darker moments – there’s just the right mix of menace and humour.
Both boys came out buzzing, chattering about their favourite parts and trying (unsuccessfully!) to copy some of the moves when we got home. For me, it was one of those rare Fringe experiences where you feel you’ve seen something genuinely original and special – created here in Scotland, by artists who are clearly at the top of their game.
If The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl comes back – and I hope it does – I’d say it’s absolutely worth snapping up tickets. A brilliant family show for ages 8+, full of wonder, strength, and laughter.
